Border protector device

ABSTRACT

Border protector device applicable to the border (1) of pools, boats, and vehicle buckets and the like (2) is comprised of cushioned modules (3) provided with back end belts (4) for fixing in books (5) provided on the border (1), and the front sides (6) of the aforesaid cushioned modules (3) can define spaces as outlets for advertising (7); a second construction possibility of the cushioned module (3) shown by the reference (3&#39;) is possible.

The present patent relates to a border protector device belonging to afield of safety equipment that was developed for increasing the safetyof the contiguous areas in: pools, bath tubes, boats, vehicle bucketsand carts and the like.

The most frequent accidents around pools are falls due to wet groundsand total lack of attention of those who transit in these places. Ingeneral, these accidents are not very serious, but not rarely, theyresult in impacts on the edge of the pool, which could result in veryserious injuries.

Another very common accident, also in pools, consists of that in whichthe user hits head or other parts of his boby on the border when jumpingin the water, when the user slips, or even when de is in the pool,particularly playing.

Despite this, no equipment exists that avoids or minimizes more seriousdevelopments in these kinds of accidents.

Having in mind the problems given above and with the aim of solvingthem, the border protector device was developed, subject to the presentinvention, which is comprised substantially of cushioned modules thatare mounted on the border of the pool.

This form of making the protector device avoids the occurrence ofinjuries when in a pool a pool user falls and/or when he jumps in andhits parts of his body on the border and/or other circumstances.

Another feature of the present device deals with the fact of providingan outlet for advertisements in public pools such as: of clubs, swimmingschools, sports centers, hydrotherapy centers and the like.

The annexed drawings show a model of the border protector device,subject to the present patent, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a construction model of the device taken separately inperspective from the front side;

FIG. 2 shows a model seen from the back side of the setting;

FIG. 3 shows a detail of a pool with the protector device mounted on it;

FIG. 4 shows an A--A section indicated in the previous figure;

FIG. 5 shows another construction possibility of the device seen fromthe front side;

FIG. 6 shows the aforesaid device seen from the back side;

FIG. 7 shows another construction possibility of the aforesaid devicewhich is in perspective;

FIG. 8 shows the lower end of the device shown in FIG. 7 and gives anexample of the way the device is fixed to the border of a swimming-pool;

FIG. 9 shows another view of the lower end of the device as shown inFIGS. 7 and 8;

FIG. 10 shows schematicly the motion of the device shown in FIGS. 7, 8and 9, related to the swimming-pool border, i.e. from a non-use positionshown by the dotted lines up to the effective use position which isshown by a steady line;

FIG. 11 shows a swimming-pool partially fitted with the device accordingto the second construction possibility shown from FIG. 7 onwards.

In accordance with what the figures listed above illustrate, the modelof the border protector device, subject to the present invention,preferably is applied to the border (1) of the pools (2) (FIG. 3) andcomprises the cushioned modules (3) provided with back end belts (4) forfixing in hooks (5) provided on the border (1) of the pool, and thefront sides (6) of the aforesaid cushioned modules (3) can define spacesfor placing advertisements (7).

In one construction possibility, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, eachcushioned module (3) has an "L" section defined by: a horizontallypositioned section (8) that covers the border (1) of the pool (2); avertex area (9) that covers the edge (10) between the border (1) and theupper region (11) of the pool wall (2) and a vertically positionedsection (12) that covers the aforesaid upper region (11) of the poolwall.

In another possibility of embodiment, as in FIGS. 5 and 6, the cushionedmodule (3) is comprised of a rectangular prismatic body (13) that coversthe border (1) of the pool.

The back side of the cushioned modules (3) can have 2 lashing belts (4),each one comprised by two parts (14) that go through the correspondinghook (05) and are interconnected by a buckle (15) provided on one of theparts of the belt (4).

In accordance with what the FIGS. 7 through 11 illustrated, thecushioned modules (3) may have another construction possibility which isshown by the reference (3'), thus the cushioned module (3') is equallyset as to protect the border (1) of a swimming-pool (2); this feature isillustrated in more details in FIG. 11.

The cushioned module (3') comprises the front sides (6') where spacesfor placing advertisements (7') are defined, and each cushioned module(3') has an "L" section defined by a horizontally positioned section(8'), that covers the border (1) of the swimming-pool (2); vertex area(9') which covers the edge (10) between the border (1) and the upperregion (11) of the swimming-pool wall (2) and a vertically positionedsection (12') that covers the aforesaid upper region (11) of theswimming-pool wall.

In the second construction possibility shown in FIGS. 7 through 11, thecushioned module (3') is provided with a flap (16) located alongside itslower section and faces toward the border (1) of the swimming-pool (2);the flap (16) is fixed by means of bolts (P) as shown on FIG. 8; theflap (16) may also be fixed by using an adhesive compound applied on thearea (A) as shown in FIG. 9.

The construction described in the previous paragraph enables aninstallation which makes the sellective positioning of the cushionedmodule (3') easier, both in the use position, which is illustrated by asteady line in FIGS. 8 and 10, and in the non-use position, representedby a dotted line (FIG. 10)

The cushioned modules (3 and 3') may have any kind of construction whichsuits better the circumstances of use, for instance, to consist of anouter casing and flexible material fillers; the cushioned modules (3 and3') can be made of foam.

Logically, the protector device, instead of being used in pools asalluded to above, can be used in bath tubs, boats, vehicle bucket andcart protectors and the like. In these case, optionally, instead of thecushioned module having a conception as described and shown above, theaforesaid module can be on-piece and sufficient for covering, forexample, the entire sides of a pool or boats, vehicle buckets and cartsand the like.

I claim:
 1. A border protector apparatus for overlying a border of aswimming pool, boat, vehicle cart and the like, wherein said border hasan angled cross-sectional configuration, said border protector apparatuscomprising:a cushioned module having a cross-sectional configurationthat compliments, extends over, and protects a portion of said border,said cushioned module having inner and outer surfaces, with said outersurface of said module having spaces for accommodating advertisements,and an apparatus for holding said cushioned module in relation relativeto said border such that said module is permitted to move withinpredetermined limits relative to said border while retaining saidcushioned module in secured relation relative to said border, saidholding apparatus including a foldable member flexibly connected to andextending from a free edge of the cushioned module such that the memberis foldable beneath a major portion of the cushioned module such thatfastener structure, arranged in operable combination with the foldablemember and used to fixedly hold the cushioned module in relation to saidborder, is protected by the cushioned module extending thereover, andwherein the fastener structure includes a pair of fasteners extendingthrough the flexible member, with each fastener including a shankportion for threadably securing the flexible member to the border.